Re: R1100S

["Steve Makohin" <wateredg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Tom et al,

From: "Tom Brown" <tbrown@xxxxxxxxxxx>

[...]
> I rode an R1100 S for 3 days of an Edelweiss trip in the French Alps. 
> The
> next 3 days I got a brand new hex-head 1200GS.   I liked the GS lots more 
> and
> was quicker on it in the hills due to the better riding position, better
> brakes and more grunt, but I didn't feel the S was very vibey.   It wasn't 
> as
> smooth as the GS, but I attributed that difference to balance shafts.  The 
> S
> seemed on par with my 1150 RT as far as vibration.   Very livable.   I 
> just
> fail to see what that riding position offers anyone on real roads.   I 
> don't
> even like being bent over like that on a track because it shortens my 
> sight
> lines through the corners.
[...]

As an R1100S rider of 6 years, virtually all of that with low clip-ons, I 
can only say it works really well for me. On a 1850 km trip (2 days) to 
Florida, my back was in fine shape, with soreness only in my legs (I'm 6'2", 
46 years old, 185 lbs) from the tight riding position, in spite of 
fuel/water/bio breaks every 2 hours.

I really like the ergonomics because they give me a "connected" feeling with 
the bike -- In close, and personal. I stress this is a personal preference 
rather than an empirical judgment on "better" or "worse". When I took a new 
R1200RT for a ride, the "sit up and beg" position felt alien to me. The bars 
were too high for what I was used to. It was still an immensely enjoyable 
ride.

Note that the R1100S's "low" clip ons are ape-hangers compared to a "real" 
sports bike, like a GSX-R1000 or an R1. The bars are mounted well above the 
knees, but below a "bolt upright" position. They look a lot more "sport 
bike" than they truly are.



>>I'd expect that if you took compression back down to regular Boxer level 
>>ie
>> R1100 RT etc, that vibration would decrease somewhat.
>
> Easily fixed, Bruno, just leave the break in oil in for 10,000 miles or 
> so.
> Compression will go down!!!

They smooth out over about 40,000 km, and compression appears to have little 
to do with the smoothing out. Riders with more miles on the clock report 
their Oilheads' vibrations diminishing, and fuel economy increasing over 
that period.

- -Steve Makohin
 '01 R1100S/ABS
 Oakville, Ontario, Canada 

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